


An Eternal Queen's Portrait

by devilinthedetails



Series: Free Spirit [9]
Category: PIERCE Tamora - Works, Tortall - Tamora Pierce
Genre: Adultery, F/M, Jealousy, Maren - Freeform, Politics, Possessiveness, Threats, Unhappy marriage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-15
Updated: 2020-08-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 08:02:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25920022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/devilinthedetails/pseuds/devilinthedetails
Summary: Lianne admires a portrait of an earlier queen of Maren.
Relationships: Alan of Pirate's Swoop/Lianne II of Conté, Lianne II of Conte/OC
Series: Free Spirit [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1864777
Kudos: 2





	An Eternal Queen's Portrait

**Author's Note:**

> Somewhat inspired by Robert Browning "My Last Duchess" poem.

An Eternal Queen’s Portrait

Lianne’s footsteps echoed beside her husband’s as they strode past generations of his ancestors in a drafty gallery. Her gaze arrested by the graceful swan neck, pearl skin and onyx eyes of a queen from three generations ago, Lianne froze, staring at the portrait. She admired the soft smile that graced the queen’s lips and wondered how the artist could have captured it so deftly with mere brushstrokes, bringing a mortal queen eternal life on canvas. 

“That’s Queen Cecile.” Prince Rurik’s words were a chill in the air and a shiver in Lianne’s spine.

“She had beautiful eyes and a swan neck,” Lianne whispered. 

“She had wandering eyes that roved too far from her husband. She was accused of treason and beheaded, an ax cutting through her swan neck.” Prince Rurik’s eyes were ice. “It’s treason for a royal woman to betray her husband and cast doubt on the legitimacy of their issue.” 

“It’s a good thing I’d never betray my husband then.” It was a lie cold as the air between them—Lianne had betrayed her husband with Alan more times than she could count—but what was another lie in a marriage that had always been a sham?


End file.
